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Thursday, October 8, 2009

ooooh two posts in one night...!!! dont forget to read the one below as well..!!

Right, its 4.47 am and yes i am blogging..??? Why am I awake at this time..?? I am not wide awake because I am journaling and blogging - I am journaling and blogging because I am wide awake, if that makes any sense to you...!!!! Will whoever has run off with my brain cut off switch, please bring it back before I die of exhaustion...!!! I am soooooo tired but wide awake at the same time...heeeeeeelllllllllppppppp.....!!!!! lol. so what to do when you are wide awake again, journal of course. Only snag, I have had a major tidy up and am back using the home studio so don't have a lot of materials in my room, including scissors. Couldn't go and get stuff as our Maisie is fast asleep in there. So how am I gonna journal without an image..??? I have a large canvas, which I frikkin love, hanging on the wall opposite my bed, so I thought I would try and draw it. I haven't attempted anything like this for years, so knew it was going to be a challenge, but what the heck. He who dares wins. I had changed all my bedding earlier for another set of , yes you guessed it, fresh white covers. What was I thinking..?? lmao. But I just love crisp white sheets..But it probably wasn't a good idea to use charcoal as my medium, was it ?

I took as many photos photos as I could remember whilst I was doing it, so here we go with an early morning step by step tutorial.

Here's my canvas in all its glory.

The pages were pre prepared last week, so the first step was to try and sketch in the design.

I gave her short hair and my wings tattoo..!! All with a hard charcoal pencil.

I then swapped to a very soft one and added all the shading, blending with my finger as we go. Add the charcoal sparingly to start with and then you can slowly build it up.

I then wrote the lyrics of a Nolan Porter song across the pages.

I used a white watercolour pencil to add the highlights.

I drew a scalloped border and coloured it with my watercolour pencils.

I then applied water with a brush to blend. I separated the lines of writing with a mixture of charcoal and watercolour crayon, rubbed in.

I outlined the scallop border in opaque white pen, and wrote a quote.

I went back over this with the charcoal and black oil pastel to blend.

So there we go the finished article...

I love it, and am stunned that it actually looks like its supposed to. Why don't you have a go at mimicking something in your house. Please leave me a comment and as usual a stack of goodies could be winging its way to you..!!!

18 comments:

Oh my god Dyan, that is sooo fabulous - Can't believe you did that at 5am this morning..... I have always maintained for years that I CANNOT draw to save my life and people think that is sooo weird being as I do all this crafty stuff but I AM going to have a go with something like this.... see ya.... have a great day of...love Kirsti x

What are you like - blogging when the rest of the world or at least this part of the world is fast asleep! Do you wonder sometimes if your lack of sleep is linked to your art journaling, once your in the 'zone' your brain is constantly looking at everything you can use even the images on your wall when there are no other images available LOL. Believe me having only newly been introduced to art journaling suddenly I'm having sleepless nights too - I grant you some of this is work stress but once awake all I can think about are the projects I'm currently doing, the images I've started to cut out, the paint on my art table the ideas in my head - completely and utterly addictive. You need some meditation techniques to turn that brain off and get a good nights sleep! Hope you can survive your day when you're so tired!

It's a beautiful page, and I have always loved the original painting. I think I know why you have trouble sleeping. Your brain associates bed with journalling not sleep. I know you have a rule not to go to your stash when you journal in the night, however would it be possible, at best, to take it to the dining room, or at worst, have a comfy chair in the bedroom. Trust me - and give it a try.Love Derbyshire Ann x

LOL Dyan. I ALWAYS look at the times you blog and it's usually at stupid o'clock. But you will never change. This page is just great. Drawing is not my thing, but you have done a brill job here. Love it!!!!!!Sue xxx (and Paul)xxxx

LUVVVVV IT!!! If only I could find more time to experiment - I adore your creative work - it gives everyone the passion to try different things including me. I too think your brain is programmed to work non stop to keep us all interested and occupied. I look forward to reading your blog everyday and am quite astounded if there's nothing there on a daily basis (only because I think they may be something wrong and I worry!) Take care! Luv Chris xx

A wonderful page Dyan, I still haven't caught you up and am looking forward to Sunday.I really think you ought to empty your boudoir of all your art and craft stash, put it in another room and keep your bedroom for sleeping. It may work psychologically.Hugs Pat xx

Thats looks amazing Dyan, because of you I started art journalling a few months ago and it's going ok, not well enough to show people yet though! But still I enjoy doing it and thats what matters to me. Last week I went to an animation class and have been all inspired to draw again so it's funny your blog should be about drawing objects as its reminded me to get those 2B pencils out! Thanks so much Dyan for the inspiration!

I need to start journalling...Kirsti has promised that we will have a day of it when we're both back from holiday to kick me up the arse and get started. Your journal pages always look so amazing and I think once I start I will be addicted...and it's way cheaper than therapy! Driving down to Windsor next week with my husband and the 2 older kids and are going to take a (slight!) detour and visit the studio - can't wait!!! Take care. xxx

Fabulous! Why don't I try mimicking something in my house? I have a beautiful picture above my bed ... sadly I don't share any of your talent for drawing and I kinda think stick men just would n't do the painting justice *LOL*

I just found your blog and I love it! This drawing is amazing by the way...how you can create such art at 4 in the morning is a wonder to me. I became a Follower so I don't miss out on your creative works! Hugs from Central Oregon (USA)